Best Arts and Culture Places in Washington DC

"We have all seen paper copies of fine works of art hanging in homes and businesses. Once, you step inside the National Gallery of Art, you get to see the real pieces for your own eyes. The west building features early European and American works and boasts the only painting by Leonardo Da Vinci in the Americas."

"The free museum and sculpture garden, National Gallery of Art, is home to one of the best fine art collection in the world. The Italian Renaissance collection is widely known as the strongest collection at the National Gallery of Art. The only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas is shown at the museum."

"With two massive buildings filled with contemporary and classical art, what’s not to love about this gallery?. The National Gallery of Art also features a six-acre sculpture garden. In the permanent art collection, you can expect to find artworks from the likes of da Vinci and Calder."

"The National Portrait Gallery is located north of the National Mall and shares its home at the Old Patent Office Building with the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Like the name suggests, the National Portrait Gallery houses historic and culturally-significant portraits and photographs. Famous exhibits at the National Portrait Gallery include the Hall of Presidents, Time magazine covers, a Frederick Douglass daguerreotype, and more."

"It houses tens of thousands of pieces, seen by over 2 million visitors a year, within a Greek Revival frame. The gallery’s indoor courtyard is also one of D.C.’s most beautiful interiors."

"DC’s Hirshhorn Museum is undoubtedly among the top contemporary art spaces in the United States. Founded in the 1960s from art collector Joseph Hirshhorn’s private collection, the museum exhibits artworks by some of the modern and contemporary art world’s greatest masters, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, Francis Bacon, and Edward Hopper. Temporary exhibitions have showcased the iconic works of Andy Warhol, Yves Klein, and Ai Weiwei."

"The great Gordon Bunshaft conceived the landmark cylindrical building for this modern art museum established by collector Joseph H. Hirshhorn. Set halfway between the Washington Monument and the Capitol, the Hirshhorn was ready in 1974 and houses one of America’s best collections of modern and contemporary art. Think Picasso, Matisse, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Jackson Pollock, Edward Hopper and Franz Kline, just by way of introduction."

"The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is an art museum dedicated to contemporary culture and art. Located near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the museum offers tours, a cafe, exhibits, monthly events, and a museum shop for people of all ages and all interests. They also have a storytime event for children (ages 6 and younger) that features book readings, arts, and crafts."

"The Howard University Art Gallery was established in 1928 in order to “make revolving exhibitions of contemporary arts and crafts available for visitation and study to students.” Since then numerous purchases and gifts from friends and faculty of the University, private collectors, and art foundations have contributed to the current diverse permanent collection."

"The Art Museum of the Americas is the first art museum in the US that is primarily devoted to exhibiting works of modern and contemporary art from Latin America and the Caribbean. The museum's collection consists of 2000 objects in varying media including painting, sculpture, installations, prints, drawings, and photographs."

"Hours: Currently closed for renovationsLocation:900 Jefferson Drive SW. The Arts and Industries Building is the original home of the National Museum. It’s currently closed due to renovation."

"Tucked away in a 38-acre wooded area of footpaths, streams formed by the nearby Potomac and lush greenery, is this little oasis perfect for some outdoor communing with friends or family. There’s a lot to take in here with the surrounding log cabins, the winding Potomac River Trail, and there’s even a blacksmith shop with a working forge. The park provides interpretive environmental education programs for all ages and for a wide variety of audiences including small groups."

"Military RoadLength: 1.4 milesDifficulty: Moderate to difficultBikeable: NoTrail Map:ViewDescription: To the east of Military road, this trail features a forested area and rocky stream that runs down to the Potomac River and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail. There are several areas where you will have to cross the stream. On the west side of Military road, you will find hilly, wooded trails around Gulf Branch Nature Center."

"Nature Centers provide kids with lots of hands-on opportunities to explore our environment. From Rock Creek Park to Montgomery County, MD, to Arlington, VA, year-round naturalist guided programs will give you insight into the natural habitat of the Washington, D.C."

"The design for the domed white memorial to Thomas Jefferson, the third US president, is based on the Roman Pantheon, its low dome supported by 54 Ionic columns. Inside, appearing in a dramatic silhouette through the columns, is a 19-foot statue of a standing Jefferson, and around are engraved excerpts of the Declaration of Independence and other writings. The monument stands alone at the far end of the Tidal Pool, which reflects the monument in its surface, and all around the edge of the water are cherry trees, a gift from Japan."

"The Jefferson Memorial sits at the edge of a tidal basin off the Potomac River, just south of the Washington Monument. This area is especially beautiful in the spring when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Landscape Legend Lightroom Presets: Save time and get amazing results with our presets!"

"Overlooking the stunning Tidal Basin, beneath a great domed temple, the 19-foot bronze sculpture of Thomas Jefferson stands tall in all its grandeur. As one of America’s most important Founding Fathers, the Jefferson Memorial is a must ‘gram on your tour."

"The National Museum of Women in the Artsis the only museum in the world which is solely dedicated to celebrating women’s achievements in the field of art. The museum is home to 4,500 items including paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and decorative art. The old Masonic temple housed inside the museum is museum is listed under the US Register of Historic Places."

"Housed in a 1907 Renaissance Revival structure that was previously a Masonic temple, the NMWA is the world's leading museum dedicated to recognizing women's achievements in the visual, performing, and literary arts. The collection houses more than..."

"Less frequented than many of their Smithsonian siblings, the Freer and Sackler Galleries behind the castle shine for their sublime collections of Asian masterpieces, across two connected museums. The Freer Gallery of Art is sprinkled with Buddhist sculpture, Japanese and Chinese handscroll paintings, Indian shrines, Korean pottery and a great deal more. Much of this art was amassed by the industrialist Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), who also assembled the world’s largest collection of works by the Tonalist James McNeill Whistler, which is also a big part of the museum’s appeal."

"Freer Gallery of Art is one of two Smithsonian Institutions that consists of Asian art. The Freer Gallery's collection contains objects dating from Neolithic times to the early 20th century, as well as the world's most important collection of works by James McNeill Whistler."

"This strikingly colorful and vibrant gallery is home to the beautiful world of Asian art and culture. The Freer Gallery of Art hosts more than 25,000 pieces spanning 6,000 years of history. After undergoing extensive renovations, the gallery reopened in July 2021."

"A post shared by AJ Washington (@alfredjw_) on Nov 5, 2017 at 12:11pm PST. The expansive Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens of heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post in Upper Northwest is perfect for snuggling up with your sweetie as you stroll the gardens and take in the museum’s lavish treasures."

"Hillwood Estate is a heritage and decorative arts museum which opened in 1973. It was the former residence of Marjorie Merriweather Post."

"On a hillside overlooking the city from across the Potomac River, Arlington National Cemetery is filled with memorials to American history and the men and women who were part of it. Its best-known landmarks are the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, President John F. Kennedy's gravesite, and the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial depicting the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima in World War II. The Welcome Center has maps, information (including the locations of specific graves), exhibits telling the story of Arlington National Cemetery and its monuments."

"Located in Arlington, Virginia, Arlington National Cemetery is a few minutes south of Washington, DC, but it’s worth the side trip. You’ve probably heard of it before. It’s one of the oldest and most esteemed military cemeteries in the world."

"After your visit, take the Metro at Gallery Place to Arlington National Cemetery. (You will have to change to the Blue Line at Metro Center)."